What gives the world’s best their X-Factor?

Published by Jeremy Styles

Serena Williams combines an incredible serve with unrivalled intimidation to overwhelm her opponents. Photo: Getty Images
What sets the best in the world apart from their competition? The X Factor. We take a look at the unique traits that give the world’s best tennis players that edge.

To win Grand Slam titles, or even make finals, typically requires a signature strength. We take a look at some of the qualities that set multiple Grand Slam champions like Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal apart from their competition.

Serena Williams: Serve and Intimidation

It’s not simply the fact that Serena Williams possesses such a weapon in her trademark serve that makes it so notable. It’s when and how she uses it. Among the tournament-best 54 aces Serena served up at AO2017 were 15 against Lucie Safarova, 10 against Johanna Konta and 10 against sister Venus in the final – the biggest-serving opponents the world No.1 faced on her path to a seventh title. Said to be among the most important strokes in recent tennis history, Serena’s serve has been developed through athletic power and is enhanced by her sheer doggedness. Combined with her renowned intimidation, it’s x-factor in abundance.

RELATED: Serena Williams – 23 random facts

Roger Federer: All-round artistry

Choosing a preferred Roger Federer stroke is like trying to name a favourite child. How do you focus on the sublime groundstrokes without crediting a serve that has long been one of the most underrated elements of his unparalleled success? And if you point to the magical footwork, are you overlooking Federer’s remarkable athleticism? All of which leads to one conclusion: the Swiss star’s x-factor is his all-round artistry. And as victories at Wimbledon and the Australian Open highlighted, it’s enhanced by an ambition that’s still strong after almost two decades at the top of the game.

RELATED: Roger Federer – an irresistible storyline

Garbine Muguruza: Power

Don’t let an often-high unforced error count fool you when it comes to Garbine Muguruza; typically outnumbered by her many powerful errors, such misses only underline the Spaniard’s aggressive approach. Serving with authority and thundering winner after winner – particularly from her backhand – as she surged to a second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, Muguruza’s explosive style has been a characteristic throughout her career. Whether she can effectively channel that power consistently remains the biggest question surrounding Muguruza; but at age 23, the fearless competitor still has time on her side.

Rafael Nadal: Forehand and Intensity

Delivered with an astonishing combination of speed and spin, Rafael Nadal’s forehand is one of the most lethal weapons in the modern game. Roger Federer is the man who has most experienced its sting, the Swiss noting it as a feature in their first match at Miami in 2004. “He doesn’t hit the ball flat and hard. It’s more with a lot of spin, which makes the ball bounce, bounce high, and that’s a struggle I had today,” conceded the then 22-year-old, after a straight-sets loss to the emerging teen. Combined with Nadal’s trademark intensity, it’s unsurprising that the Spaniard won his tenth Roland Garros title – his 15th overall.

Maria Sharapova: Determination

With her many multi-million dollar endorsement contracts and high-profile connections, Maria Sharapova is typically a player you associate with glamour, not grit. But it’s taken sheer hard work – and a measure of audacity – for the Russian to take every significant step in her career. It featured when she stunned top seed Serena Williams to win 2004 Wimbledon as a 17-year-old, but Sharapova’s fighting spirit was even more critical when she recovered from a career-threatening shoulder injury to win her second French Open title in 2014. With aspects of her game overhauled to protect her shoulder, Sharapova won each of her last four matches at Roland Garros in three hard-fought sets.

Novak Djokovic: Movement and Focus

The ability to stretch for practically any shot was only a contributor to Novak Djokovic’s long reign at world No.1, but immeasurably increased the wow factor for his many fans. Lanky but lean at 188cm and just 75kg, that eye-popping flexibility points to the Serb’s clever early awareness that his game should be built around more than power. Another standout quality is intense focus; that it’s been slightly off during surprises losses of late highlights that mindset is another key element of Djokovic’s biggest wins.

RELATED: Woodbridge – What now for Novak Djokovic?

Angelique Kerber: Strength

The naturally athletic Angelique Kerber has long been known for the physical strength that’s mostly generated from her legs, making her one of the best retrievers in the women’s game. But it was a concerted effort on physical fitness that saw Kerber transform from a journey woman early in her career to a two-time Grand Slam champion. The mental makeover was equally significant, as evidenced by the fact that she won both of her 2016 major finals – against Serena Williams at the Australian Open and Karolina Pliskova at the US Open – in three superb-quality sets. Where the younger Angie might have been influenced by emotion, the more mature version knows that keeping calm is a key to her success.

Andy Murray: Return and persistence

Andy Murray not only tops the ATP rankings, but regularly tops the “return leaders” index too – and if more evidence is needed that the return is the world No.1’s best playing feature consider that he’s the only member of the Big Four who could counter the huge serve of Nick Kyrgios in their first match. We saw it again when Murray showcased his return with the most impressive result as he neutralised Milos Raonic’s missile-like serve to win his second Wimbledon title in 2016. Following his win at The Championships in 2013 that winning performance was a key to the Scot’s eventual rise to world No.1. Coming eight years after he’d first hit No.2, persistence is another Murray quality that can’t be overlooked.

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